Mayawati gives nod to Varun Gandhi’s prosecution

LUCKNOW - More than 20 months after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Varun Gandhi made communal remarks during an election campaign in Pilibhit, the Uttar Pradesh government Friday gave its sanction for his prosecution.

The much-awaited permission signed by state Home Secretary Anand Kumar came following a nod from Chief Minister Mayawati.

“This will also help expedite his trial in the three criminal cases registered against him,” the home secretary told reporters here Friday evening. The cases were hanging fire in the absence of the state government’s permission which was mandatory under the provisions of section 153 of the Indian Penal Code.

Of the three criminal cases registered against Varun, the first relates to the anti-Muslim speech he delivered at a public rally in Barkhera village of Pilibhit district on March 8, 2009, for which a criminal case was registered on March 17 the same year.

The second case was registered over the same incident at the behest of the Election Commission, which took serious cognisance of that hate speech.

For yet another hate speech Varun delivered at Desh Nagar locality of Pilibhit town March 7, a criminal case was registered March 19.

It was widely believed that the hate speeches helped Varun to create a sharp communal divide and polarised Hindu votes in his favour. Mayawati’s earlier decision to slap the National Security Act (NSA) on him further made him some kind of a “Hindu martyr”.

He won the election from Pilibhit.